1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a clip for attaching a heat sink to a pin grid array integrated circuit and pin grid array socket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
By their very nature and construction, integrated circuits generate a significant amount of heat which must be removed from the area of operation. Typically, a heat sink containing a plurality of fins or disks is applied to the above structure which is attached to the integrated circuit. Since this heat sink includes a plurality of fins or disks, heat generated by the integrated circuit would be directed away from the integrated circuit to ensure that this circuit does not become overheated.
Since this problem of over heating has been well documented for many years, a number of different alternatives have been proposed to securely attach the heat sink to the integrated circuit. For example, the IBM Technical Disclosure described in Volume 23, No. 12, at Page 5303 describes a heat sink which can be slipped over an integrated circuit module utilizing a U-shaped spring clip having one or more slots, as well as feet to engage the underside of the module. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,123, issued to Hermann, illustrates a spring clip bent into an H-shape for attaching a cooling member to an integrated module and a plug base. The clip includes T-shaped projections which engage into correspondingly arranged, rectangular recesses at the side of the plug base. An opening is disposed in the middle of the spring clip allowing the core diameter of a cooling member to fit therein. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,595, issued to Staples, shows a heat sink which is attached to an integrated circuit by a plastic clip-on member. The plastic clip-on member has a pair of tabs located at the corner of the integrated circuit holder. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,267, issued to Corman et al., describes a device for connecting a heat sink to an active device substrate. As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, a U-shaped spring member having legs joined by a bight are employed for this purpose.
Although many prior art devices have addressed the problem of adequately securing a heat sink to an active device substrate, such as an integrated circuit, no prior art reference teaches the use of the particular clip-on device which is employed by the present invention.